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A washing machine is an electrical appliance designed to clean laundry. The term is usually restricted to machines that use water as the primary cleaning method, opposed to dry cleaning, which only uses cleaning fluids. Early washing machines go back to around 1768, but the present day washing machines are a recent development. The first automatic home washing machines became popular by around the 1960s. By this time the machines were advanced enough to control the water and soap intake, and the draining and rotation sequence of the drum. Later on, they were capable of different wash cycles, to handle different materials such as wool and cotton. Present day most washing machines come in two main configurations, "top loading" or "front loading". With the "front loading" design being most popular in Europe, and the "top loading" design most popular in America. The difference is not just skin deep, the mechanics vary in fundamental ways.

front loading top loading

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Posted on 13 / 09 / 2005

Bosch WFO2466

Excellent washing machine that performed flawlessly. It has a sturdy design, simple controls, large door, and an easy to access filter and drum drainage tube. Includes some great features like a time remaining indicator, and it also automatically senses how many clothes are in the drum and will then adjust the water levels accordingly. I think this Bosch washer is built to last, and I couldnt be happier with it.

User Rating -
mannhunter

Posted on 02 / 12 / 2008

Hotpoint WT761P

Persistent problems, countless visits from engineers under it's warranty, machine is a shoddy piece of work. It's got to the point where the customer support is get sick of hearing my voice, they need an award for their patience. Avoid this appliance like the plague.

User Rating -
n/a

Popularity
Value for money
Ability to find on the Net
Better value than high street

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Washing Machines have come down in price recently, with the lowest price being around £200, going up to £700 for an expensive washing machine with all the features. Some things that put people off washing machines are new digital controls and sensors, which could mean there is more to break down, something everybody knows happens to washing machines.

A standard washing machine these days seems to have spin cycle of 600-1400RPM which means the faster the spin speed, the more water is removed from your clothes. Some washing machines also have PC company systems that enables the machine to be reprogrammed electronically as new modifications are introduced by the manufacturer, and come with extra large 300mm doors open to a full 156 degrees making it easy to load and unload.

You can also find washing machines with the option of using a low temperature wash to freshen up lightly soiled garments - which saves time and money.

Some things to consider

When buying a washing machine online it is always important to check for the spin efficiency. This feature determines how much electricity the machine will use, and can therefore save you money if it has a good spin efficiency grade.

Auto half load automatically adjusts water level for smaller loads, saving water, time and money. Many new versions of washing machines have this feature such as the Dyson CR01W Flowcheck.

Economy wash produces a lower temperature wash, which in turn saves you money. Plenty of average priced washing machines now come with this feature. It's very useful if you wish to save money from reduced electricity and water bills.

Silk wash has an extra low temperature wash with gentle wash programme for delicate silk items. This feature will help keep your silk clothes and underwear in the condition bought. Before many silk items had to be hand washed, so if you have silk items then this feature is useful to look out for.

Top spec machines now come with an advanced woolcare technology. Many of the new Dyson machines come with a gentle 2 drum wash action cares for your wool and delicate clothes wash after wash. Very few other brands of machines offer this feature so if you care about your wool clothes and items a Dyson washing machine may be the answer.